Today is my 10 year anniversary since I first started blogging (with this little post about fun themed meals)! 

Blogging was not something I had ever envisioned myself doing, but after reading a few blog posts written by other mum's about their everyday life as parents and sharing some of their crafting and cooking endeavours, I was inspired to give it a go way back in 2008.

Although I hardly ever blog now (thanks to life currently), I am so glad I did begin all those years ago. 

Thanks to blogging I've got a little journal of our family adventures, have a great collection of memories, makings and musings all stored away in one place for future reference (my girls often browse through them for a laugh every once in a while).  

Blogging highlights include attempting to make the infamous Rainbow Cake (thankfully it turned out pretty good!) and sharing a how-to when it came to making a Moustache Cake for my Dad's birthday. Also, sharing some of my story about walking through grief and loss - hard but also healing. I've also met some amazing friends along the way. 

For someone who never felt very creative, blogging has been such a fun creative journey, being inspired by others and then giving creative projects a go. 

So here's to 10 years of blogging through the ups and downs of life, including burnt cakes, parenting failures and crafting flops... this little space is like an old photo album and diary filled with years worth of precious stories and memories.

There's been a well used phrase going around for the last couple of years, often quoted to parents with young children... especially during those gruelling early years filled with sleepless nights, tears (both the children and the adults), tantrums and the chaos that comes with raising youngsters.

"The days are long but the years are short." 

Its one of those phrases that is so full of wisdom, but often holds no value to the sleep deprived parent holding a screaming baby... Until they look back a few years ahead and then it's a phrase worth it's weight in gold.

Tonight I found my youngest sprawled out on our living room couch browsing through the old photograph albums. I joined her and all the memories of those years with little ones came flooding back, the loudness, the tiredness, the adventures, those cute little squishy faces and the fun. 

I'm so glad I took so many photos (and actually bothered to print some out), and I'm so glad we tried to embrace the chaos and have a bit of fun despite those years being a lot of hard work!!

The days were so long (and sometimes painfully exhausting) but looking back now, the years truly have flown by.

Three out of our four children are now in their teens, and I can honestly say I am thoroughly enjoying the teenage years. These kids are so funny, gorgeous and have such sweet hearts... But I do miss their little mini toddler versions sometimes. Those little chubby hands and cheeks, the needing to be picked up (although I still do that a lot but with the car rather than my arms 😂)  and the excited squeals when mummy or daddy arrive home after being out for a few hours (like we've arrived home from a 3 month trip in Alaska).

So here's to those helpful (or not so helpful) little sayings that people often grace you with when you're up to your elbows in 'real life' - may we remember to embrace the phase or season of life we are in, whether we are young or old, married or single, have children or not... Each season has something little in it that is precious and I don't want to miss these moments for anything.

The days are long, but believe me when I say that the years are truly short.

It's time for a quick update on life lately!   With life there is always ups and downs and I've found a key to keeping my heart right in life is keeping a thankful heart, focussing on the good stuff God is doing in my life and the people and things I'm thankful for.  

So here we go!

I'm so thankful for celebrating Easter with my family - even if it's almost impossible to get a nice Easter family photo!  Check out my Easter post here if you missed it.

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Loving friends and all the adventures that come along with each of them!

Loving this girl's creative makings...

Loving dressing up, whenever we get the chance (this was for a Star Wars themed event - so of course someone had to dress as a Star Trek character)... 

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So thankful for celebrating 22 years married to my favourite guy in the world this past weekend!  We were blessed enough to be able to go away for a few nights (thanks Mum & Dad for having the kids, and to my Aunty & Uncle for letting us stay at their amazing beach house!).

Us as newly weds (babies at 18 & 21 years old!)...

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Loving that we are finally getting back into renovations again (and when I say 'we', that really means Symon doing all the work while I dream up decor ideas and wait for my turn to paint).  This time we are working on our ensuite bathroom, and it has turned out to be quite a major job with a lot of rotten wood behind the walls!

Loving my hometown of Whangarei in New Zealand.  I love that you can drive for a few minutes and be in the bush, or the countryside with rolling hills and farmland, or at the beach, or sitting at a cafe next to the waters edge.  Such a beautiful place to live - so thankful!